Television Personalities

Special RSD 2017 edition (black & white marbled vinyl) of TVP's (shadow) magnum opus. Famously described by Melody Maker as "one of the most wanton and wilful cases of self-immolation you're ever likely to hear", and immediately preceding the band's second break-up (amazingly, it was also sort of a comeback album, arriving two years after their - fake - first split), you'd expect The Painted Word to be an unlistenable wreck, but in fact it's one of Dan Treacy's most mature and carefully composed offerings. Yes the uptempo proto-twee of his early work is now all but obliterated in favour of brittle, gloomy, strung-out Velvetsy drone-pop, those flip speedy fantasies/send-ups of swinging London now freighted with a living-too-late, drugsick, what's-the-fucking-point weariness - but that's precisely what makes it special. Flawless masterpiece.